It's not as though Verizon doesn't have enough trouble keeping its own DSL circuits working. Now they've knocked out someone else's, as Jim of New York, NY, reports:
Verizon, while installing a phone for my neighbor, disconnected my digital subscriber line (DSL, a data line). My DSL provider, XO, is in the process of having Verizon repair the line. Verizon has not responded promptly to restore the service.
I partially work from home over the DSL line. My job is to maintain Internet applications and web sites. Since the DSL line was disconnected by Verizon (five days ago as of now) I have been unable to work from home. Frequently my job requires me to work late nights and early mornings, which I can no longer do. Essentially I can no longer perform the duties of my job, and as a consequence my effectiveness and standing in the eyes of my clients and coworkers has diminished.
Melanie of West Warwick, RI November 5, 2008
Melanie of West Warwick RI (11/05/08) I called up Verizon because I wanted to cancel my cable service, the only problem with that is they want to charge an early termination fee of 200.00 which I don't have
The reason why I wanted to cancel is because I'm having financial trouble due to the economy and I'm on disability. I can't keep up with my phone bill as it's too high and it shouldn't as I'm on the bundle deal. Also, I made a payment in the beginning of each month and they want another payment on the same month, something has to be done. They shouldn't be charging me twice a month and that's what they are doing?
Michael of Colts Neck, NJ October 28, 2008
Michael of Colts Neck NJ (10/28/08) I wanted to switch my phone, internet, and television services over to Verizon early October of 2008. I had an appointment scheduled for October 10th to have the services installed. I had to take off of work for the scheduled appointment, without fail Verizon did not show up. I called them from the 10th to press the issue that I had to miss work for the appointment and they told me there was nothing they could do about it. I asked them to please do not let it happen again and that I could not miss anymore days of work. Verizon then rescheduled for the 17th of October (I took a vacation day) for them to install the services. They again failed to install the services.
Now from the 10th to the 17th I repeatedly called the billing department as well as the customer advocacy department to have them rectify the multiple failed installations. They all replied with no resolution for the failed installations. On the 18th we scheduled an appointment for the third time for an October 21st installation. On the 21st the Verizon installer came to the door and told me he could not install the service because Verizon did not schedule the contractors to run the fiber cable to my home for the 21st installation date. I then had to call them and threaten to call the BPU if they did not get anyone out to my house to run the fiber cable. Finally the company showed up at the house at 1:30 to run the fiber wire. The installer was then at my home till 11:30 pm that night installing the service to my home.
After the services were installed on the 21st I have made several phone calls to Verizon regarding the issues at hand regarding the missed installations and their inability to make up for my missed days of work. They didnt even apologize for their mistakes. In my last conversation with customer advocacy I spoke to Channel she told me The problem is resolved because there is nothing that we are going to do to compensate you for your missed days of work. I found her supervisors name its Sharon but I cant get in touch with her to escalate the problem.
I had to give up a days pay and two vaction days in order to have the services installed.
Zenebech of Hyattsville, DE October 20, 2008
Zenebech of Hyattsville DE (10/20/08) I have ordered verizon dsl in November 2007 and I cancelled it the same day but the keep charging my credit card for the the service I do not have. Every time I call they say they do not see any recored of payment. In August 2007 I was able to talk to the associate and they told me they will refund my money and gave me a confirmation number
after a month I call back they said it will take two month. now it has been two month and when I call they said they can't find any information. I have been charged 31.99. every month every time I called I spent hours without any solution and it is causing me emotional distress.
Aberdam of New York, NY October 19, 2008
Aberdam of New York NY (10/19/08) I saw a promotion on verizon about DSL, 3mb with which you get a free wireless router. I chatted with a verizon person who confirmed that promotion. SO I got it. Now I did not receive the wireless router, and they agree to send it to me with an additional fee of 49,99 to which I disagreed, so I spoke to another person who told me to send a fax with the proof (luckily I had saved my order confirmation on the web). Which I did, not having any feedback I called again, I was told to send the fax again to another number, which I did, and I still do not have any feedback.
Appart of that internet is not working so Day 1: I called, they scheduled an appointment with me, and said that the technician would call to let me know at exactly what time he would be there, so that I don't have to wait for 9hrs... Day 2: They called twice to confirm my appointment between 8am and 5pm. day 3: when I did not receive the technician phone call, I called, and they said they cannot give a time, and that I have to wait for the whole day at 3pm I called to check if he was really coming, and they told me he was on his way... at 4h30 I called again, and I was told he left at 4 and he is on his way. at 5pm, I called again, and was told they cannot say anything more and that I should wait up to 7pm at 5h45 I called again, same answer
At 6h14 I receive a phone call from the techinician letting me know that he is working on my problem from the central office and that it should be good in the next 24hr. When I told him I waited for him the whole day, he said he was never meant to come to my place since the problem is not tere ;-).
day 4: I receive a phone call that my internet is working, Back home I see that it is not, I call them back. The guy makes all the checks and tells me he calls me back, which he did not. I called again, we go over the same silly checks and it still does not work, so they tell me that a technician has to come by my place again, and I will have to wait again. I just would like them to make it work, give me my router, and reimburse me for all the hours I waited. I have nobody to do this for me and a full time job, how do they expect people to wait when the problem is with them?
11hrs of waiting for nothing 8hrs of phone calls with them lots of stress not the right modem (49) no internet working And it is not yet finished
Cindy of Woodland, PA October 19, 2008
Cindy of Woodland PA (10/19/08) I would like to know why Verizon is not updating phone lines in the rural areas? We have a Verizon repair garage one block behind our home and still do not have any DSL internet connection. Our phone lines are old and even dial up gets slower and slower and sometimes it doesn't even connect until 4-5 tries. I thought Verizon was to have in place a time frame for reaching everyone - even Rural areas with DSL? I have contacted them several times to deal with this problem but to no avail. Small town all around us have DSL just 3-4 miles away but not us. Would like some answers to a timeframe when we might be able to connect with DSL.
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